Panasonic Lumix LX100 Review by Ian

Monday, 15 December 2014 17:33:36 Europe/London

I’ve long been a fan of the Panasonic LX series with their compact size, fast apertures & super lens quality so I had high hopes for the LX100.

The previous models have had an advantage over lower range compacts having slightly larger image sensors, the New LX100 has a four thirds sensor housed in a body only a little larger than the previous model- the LX7. The larger sensor allows for better image detail, a wider ISO range & less noise at the higher sensitivities.

First impressions came from the build, the camera is small but not too small. It sits well in the hand having a decent sized grip on the front & thumb grip on the back, both having a slightly soft rubber texture allowing for a comfortable, secure feel. The camera felt slightly heavier than I was expecting for its size but this adds to the sense of quality.

Unlike previous LX models which gave you the option of adding an electronic viewfinder via the hot shoe the LX100’s viewfinder is built in & switches from screen to finder automatically as you put your eye to it.

The auto focus system is fast & accurate, there are various modes including a 49 point & a customisable option- I have to admit I haven’t found a use for the custom AF yet but it’s always nice to have options. Like most cameras of this level there is a manual focus option but unlike many of its size it has a focus ring rather than using a control dial. The camera has a focus peaking feature which helps massively when in manual focus mode.

The zoom range of 24-75mm might at first glance seem a little short compared to the current superzoom models but as with previous LX models the reason is to improve image quality & allow the faster apertures. I’ve taken some shots at night hand held with ISO’s up to 1600 & was pleased by the results, the images were sharp & noise wasn’t an issue. The camera comes with a clip on flashgun, this obviously adds a little to the size but with its low light performance the need for flash is reduced.

The camera will shoot full HD 50P & also 4K 25P, again the video quality in low light is stunning- gone are the days of needing 1000w lamps to stand any chance of shooting at night or indoors.

All in all, the LX100 lived up to expectations providing exceptional quality images in a handy pocketable size.